


Christmas Cheer

by cordeliadelayne



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Decorations, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Tree, Established Relationship, Fluff, Happy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:06:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27935113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: Steve and Bucky are determined to celebrate Christmas together.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19





	Christmas Cheer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Titti](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titti/gifts).



> Written as a Christmas present for the lovely titti who gave the prompt “a happy Christmas.”

“What do you think?”

Bucky looked over at Steve and his raised eyebrow said far more than words could. Steve looked back at the room and sighed. Perhaps this had been a mistake.

The cabin he had rented for their Christmas away had come with a “deluxe holiday season package” that Steve had thought would be like the picture in the brochure – tastefully decorated tree with some lights around the door. What they got looked more like Santa's Grotto if Pepper had allowed Stark to get involved in choosing the décor.

“It's – bright,” Bucky said, putting down his bag and stepping further into the cabin.

“Uh uh,” Steve agreed.

They stood staring in silence for a moment before bursting into laughter, Bucky pressing a hand to his chest and wheezing each time something outrageous caught his eye.

The tree was purple for a start, covered in white lights, mouldy looking popcorn and the new range of Avengers' ornaments.

“Did you know...?” Bucky started to ask, pointing vaguely in the direction of the tree. Steve shook his head and moved closer to the tree for a better look.

The ceiling was covered in the most flammable paper and string that Bucky had ever seen. Strings of green and red lights flashed around the door, the table and the windows, creating a very '70s disco vibe. There were several wreaths on the doors decorated with pictures of Rudolf and Santa. In the corner were two reindeer made of silver wire doing something unspeakable to each other and a nativity scene with the faces carved out of some dystopian nightmare.

“These aren't the approved ones,” Steve said, taking a Black Widow ornament off the tree and examining it closely. Instead of her normal uniform which was on the approved ornament (“You all owe me one no questions asked phone call," she had insisted) Black Widow was dressed in a red ballerina costume with anatomically impossible breasts.

“We're taking that, right?” Bucky asked with a grin.

Steve returned the grin and handed it to Bucky who carefully put it in his bag to torture Natasha with later.

Stark was there, as was Hawkeye and the Hulk and then there was Steve, grinning dementedly in his underwear whilst holding up the Stars and Stripes.

“Can't imagine why you didn't approve that one,” Bucky said.

“No,” Steve said, attempting to be stern, but Bucky ignored him and took the ornament off the tree to join Natasha's.

“We eat in here I'm going to get flashbacks,” Bucky said with exaggerated casualness.

“You and me both,” Steve replied.

Bucky hummed quietly to himself then moved up to Steve and put an arm around his shoulder pulling him close. “It's the thought that counts.”

Steve didn't look totally convinced and moved away to try and find the switch for some of the more garish lights.

Bucky took out his phone and after a few minutes of exploring online came up with a plan.

“Come on,” he said, pulling at Steve's arm and directing him back outside. “The mall in the next town is open. Why don't we go get our own decorations and dump all this.”

“You really want to – I mean....”

Bucky pressed a quick kiss against Steve's mouth. “It was a good idea. Not your fault the owners secretly hate Christmas.”

Steve laughed. “They probably love it and won't appreciate us getting rid of their belongings.”

Bucky sighed. “Fine, then we'll dump it outside their cabin. It's the one at the end, right?”

They opened the door and peered further down the snowy track which was lined by trees and a single cabin just about visible in the distance. It was just starting to get dark and as if on cue the owner's cabin lit up with a flashing Santa's sleigh on top.

“I think that might be theirs,” Steve agreed, deadpan.

* * * * *

Less than a week to Christmas and the mall was like hell on earth, but Bucky persevered, taking deep breaths when he needed to and keeping his distance from little old ladies with big bags and no spatial awareness. He picked out the tree that Steve then hefted onto his shoulder, and he picked out familiar looking ornaments that reminded him of his and Steve's shared childhood, and hopefully of future Christmases together.

Steve tied the tree to the roof of their hired car and Bucky left him to go tackle the Christmas food. He came back with six full bags, knowing full well that he and Steve could probably demolish a lot more than that in the four days they had scheduled to themselves but not wanting to buy the store out for the other shoppers.

When Bucky came out for the final time Steve was leaning up against the car door, his head tipped up to the sky and his eyes closed, feeling the snow falling onto his face. Bucky watched for a moment, the deep curl of want in his stomach a comforting presence. That they had this time together at all was some sort of miracle, Bucky didn't want to do anything to jeopardise it again.

“Come on,” he said, “the sooner we get the old ones down the sooner we can get the new ones up.”

Steve languidly opened his eyes and let his legs fall open. Bucky grinned but shook his head.

“There'll be plenty of time for that later!”

Steve pretended to pout then hurriedly got into the car.

* * * * *

It took them nearly four hours in the end, Steve stopping helping after three to make a start on their dinner and even, to Bucky's amusement, make some bread. When he was done Bucky stood back and admired the new, green, Christmas tree with tasteful lights and ornaments. There was a gold star on the top and a single wreath on the door. The lights were kept to a minimum, just providing enough light, together with the wood burning in the fireplace, to give the place a much cosier feel than when they'd first arrived.

Steve pressed up against Bucky's side and handed him a mug of hot chocolate with little marshmallows floating in it.

“A job well done,” Steve said.

“Thanks for doing this,” Bucky said. “Getting me away from New York, and, you know, everything.”

“We deserve it,” Steve said with a grin. “Come on, dinner will be a while yet.”

He lead Bucky over to the fireplace and they sat on the floor, pulling a blanket over their legs and leaning against each other and the couch.

“Do you remember that year we had the power cut and Mom fed us tins of beans for Christmas dinner?” Steve asked, shaking his head.

“We've all come a long way,” Bucky said, “one way or another.”

“It's not all been bad though, has it?”

Bucky took a sip of his hot chocolate, trying to decide how he wanted to answer that one. But sat there with nothing to do but enjoy each other's company Bucky decided that on balance everything they'd gone through, apart and together, was worth it if he'd got to spend the rest of his life like this.

“No, it's been pretty terrible,” Bucky said, startling Steve into a laugh, “but it's going to be much better.”

“Yeah?” Steve whispered, putting down his drink and turning to face Bucky. “You think?”

“Oh, I know,” Bucky said, turning to straddle Steve and kiss him breathless. “The best is yet to come.”

Steve smiled into the kiss and pulled Bucky closer, all thoughts of dinner forgotten.


End file.
